1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a device for storing vehicles wheels. A device of this type is known from G 93 17 025.4. This device, also referred to as a tire tree, includes a base unit in the form of a pedestal or stand, and a stand column. The stand column includes carrier arms located at the right angles to the stand column and parallel to the stand feet. These carrier arms serve to receive vehicle wheels or vehicle tires, which can be hung up on the carrier arms in simple manner.
2. Description of the Related Art
This known device makes possible a desirable protective storage of the vehicle wheels or vehicle tires, but unfortunately, there are, several disadvantages associated therewith. These include the large space requirement as a consequence of the footprint area, and particularly during unloading of the carrier arms. Besides this, there is the danger that the device, if loaded on only one side, could tip over, for example, during the changing out of tires.
The present invention is thus concerned with the task of providing a device of the above-described type, which has a particularly minimal space requirement and, at the same time, provides a problem-free operation.
This task is solved by a device for use in this field and having the distinguishing characteristics of claim 1.
The invention is based upon the idea of having a base unit that it can be mounted on a ceiling or even on a wall of a building. Therewith, for example, the ceiling of a garage can be utilized for storage of the vehicle wheels or vehicle tires, and the hitherto conventional standing room is no longer required. Besides this, the invention envisions that the respective mounting arms are designed to be pivotable relative to the base, wherein the range of pivot is defined as that between a receiving position and a storage position. The mounting arms can be locked in the storage position via a locking device.
The pivotable connection of the mounting arms to the base unit makes possible an exceptionally convenient manipulation of the vehicle wheels or vehicle tires during the mounting or, as the case may be, removal. For example, in the case of the present invention being mounted to a ceiling, the mounting arms can be folded down. The mounting arms, when properly dimensioned, are situated in such a height as to be conveniently accessible.
In the storage position, the mounting arms, with vehicle wheels secured thereto, are provided close below the ceiling and thus require little space in the garage floor. The loss in ceiling height in the area of the device is not disadvantageous in most cases, so that the storage of the vehicle wheels does not reduce the useful space in the garage.
The locking mechanisms can be comprised of linch pins, eccentric levers, removable and replaceable stay rods, or of detent devices. These simple construction components make possible a secure and rapid fixing of the mounting arms in the storage position.
A technically particularly simple design of the device is possible, when the mounting means respectively include a threaded rod associated with the second end of the carrier arms, on which the vehicle wheel can be secured with at least one threaded nut. In the folded down receiving position of the support device, the respective vehicle wheel can easily be slid upon the threaded rod and be secured by means of the threaded nut.
Although the application of only one threaded nut is sufficient for securing the vehicle wheel, it is of advantage, to provide further a threaded nut, which secures the vehicle wheel on the side opposite to the first threaded nut. Thereby, the vehicle wheel is tightly tensioned in and cannot undergo any tilting movement.
Depending upon the size and design of the hub opening, it can be of advantage to secure the vehicle wheel not directly via the threaded nut on the threaded rod, but rather to provide a retaining disc, which can be secured to at least one bolt of the vehicle wheel and which exhibits an opening oriented concentric with the hub opening of the vehicle wheel, through which the threaded rod can be introduced. In this case, first the retaining disk is mounted onto the vehicle wheel, which thereafter, together with the mounted retaining disc, is slid onto the threaded rod. The threaded nut then does not support itself directly upon the vehicle wheel, but rather upon the retaining disc. In order to fit various lug nut pattern diameters of vehicle wheels, the holding disc is provided with a radially extending elongated hole, which covers the ranges of the various hole pattern diameters.
Since the threaded rod extends through the hub opening of the vehicle wheel, it is possible during inappropriate use of the device, for example, by over tightening of the threaded nut, to cause damage to the hub opening. This applies particularly in the case of aluminum wheels, since the aluminum alloys are significantly softer than steel alloys. In order to avoid this, it is of advantage to provide safety or protective elements, which support themselves against the vehicle wheel.
According to a preferred variant, the protective elements are provided in the form of pot-shaped cover caps, which can be introduced upon the threaded rod. These are particularly suited for use in combination with the above-described retaining discs, so that the vehicle wheel is securely received between the cover cap and the retaining disc.
An alternative embodiment of the protective element envisions a cone shaped, hollow cover cap, of which the section with the larger diameter engages the vehicle wheel on the side opposite to the mounting arm, and of which the section with the smaller diameter can be introduced through the hub opening of the vehicle wheel.
This embodiment, as a result of the conical contour, makes possible an automatic, optimal fitting to the respective geometry of the hub opening, whereby the vehicle wheel is constantly centered. Besides this, in the case of the use of two conical-shaped cover caps of this type, an optimal adaptation or fitting to vehicle wheels of the most diverse breadth and design can be undertaken. The cover caps can, depending upon circumstances, either be oriented in the same direction or in opposite directions.
These alternative embodiments of the protective elements offer additionally the possibility of integrating the threaded nut in the respective smaller diameter segments. This also enables, for example, the exact positioning of the cover cap upon the threaded rod.
Although a large number of embodiments are possible for the mounting arms, it is of advantage for weight and stability reasons, when the mounting arms are formed as U-shaped arms and are connected to the base unit via pivot pins.
Preferably, each mounting arm is provided with multiple receptacles for the selective positioning of the threaded rod. Therewith, an optimal adjustment of the device to conform to the respective wheel diameter to be mounted can occur.
In wheels of smaller diameter, the threaded rods can be positioned relatively far inwardly, so that the total surface area on the surface upon which the inventive device is mounted, that is, for example, the ceiling, is kept to a minimum.
Since the vehicle wheels are generally relatively heavy, it could pose a problem, in particular, for weaker persons, to pivot the downwardly folded, vehicle wheel carrying mounting arms back into their storage position. This can be aided by a suitably positioned spring device.
A form-fitting design for mounting on the surface is made possible when the base unit is designed as a base plate with receptacle elements for the mounting arms. In this case, the base unit can be screw-fastened directly onto the building ceiling via the base plate.
One alternative envisions that the base unit is comprised of two essentially congruent segments of U-shaped profile. On the one hand, such profile segments are simple and economical to produce, wherein the selected profile shape makes possible an optimal connecting of the mounting arms, for example via pivot bolts. On the other hand, this two-part embodiment makes possible the selective provisioning of a single device for the collective storage of, for example, four wheels or, alternatively, the separate mounting of respectively two wheels, which could be of advantage for example in an environment of a very narrow space.